We’re big fans of Katie Irvin Design here at Apple Brides, not only because she creates gorgeous and unique wedding invitations, but she’s also responsible for our recent site redesign! We were nothing but impressed with how easy Katie made the whole process, she listens to what you want and then carefully helps you make that a reality. Katie does everything from wedding invitations, labels, chalkboard art and more, check out her website for more info!

How long have you been in design and what is your background?

I’ve been designing since 2007, received my BFA in Visual Communication Design in 2010, and have done everything from websites, to print collateral, commercial advertising, custom illustration, invitations, logo work and branding.

What is your design inspiration?

One of my old professors’ favorite phrases was “find the perfection in imperfection” and throughout the years that has always stayed with me. Whether the look is clean and modern, or rustic and cozy, or loose, wild, and organic, I’ve always loved adding a human element to everything I create. I feel that, especially with the digital element of design work, it’s so important to stay connected to the things I create, and I’m inspired by work that makes me feel as if it were hand-crafted with love and care.

What is your favorite part of designing for weddings?

I love watching that process unfold as a couple begins thinking as “we” instead of “you” and “me.” Someone once told me that planning for a wedding is the first process through which a couple learns to work together as a team, and that comes out in the visual aesthetic that a couple finally decides to go with when creating a design. Instead of looking for something that visually represents one person or the other, they come up with something that tells the world, “This is us. This is what we’re about.” It’s really cool to see it happen and be a part of it.

How do couples order?

I can be contacted through my website or via telephone, and we can talk about your style, what detail needs you may have for your big day, cost, and your timeline. I’ll also soon be opening a pre-made design shop for invitations, wedding logos, and other design details this summer, called The Makery Design Shop; it can be found at themakerydesignshop.com, and will have an open shop interface where couples can simply download designs to print themselves.

Do you do customized designs?

Of course. Every custom design ordered from me is made from scratch and will be yours, only yours, forever.

What is the most important thing for couples to remember when they start thinking about their invitations?

Invitations are one of the few things that you can take with you and have to remember your big day by once the wedding is over. They’re also the first peek into your wedding day that your guests get when they get their sets in the mail. I think with the chaos of getting addresses, mailing invites and save the dates out, keeping track of RSVP’s and guest names and seating charts, it’s easy to forget to save an extra set for yourself to keep with your wedding memorabilia. I like to create a hand-crafted “set” for the bride and groom on top of their order to take with them, use for photos and styled shots on their wedding day, and to save in their scrap books or albums once their big day is over.

What is the typical turn around time for a couple to receive their invitations?

Depending on the nature of the invite, it can be anywhere from two weeks to a month, to account for revisions and feedback on custom work. For pre-made work, a few days is usually all that’s required to change names, dates, addresses, and match wedding colors on pre-created templates.